Yellow Jacket, Chapter 5

Yellow Jacket, Chapter 5

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Commissioned by Sivantic

Word Count: 2529

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Midoriya, surprisingly, managed to get into the tournament. Despite all my expectations, given how he was the target of most of the competitors, he picked and utilized his team exceptionally well. He focused entirely on defense and mobility, but his front also had plenty of offensive capability, though he’d apparently forgotten that and thought he’d lost. Todoroki and Bakugou took first and second place respectively, with the former gaining the million point headband, and Bakugou retrieving his own and eliminating just one party. 

My team, somehow, managed to get third place instead of fourth. 

However, that wasn’t something I needed to consider at the moment.

No, the problem was there was a Master in UA Academy.

“Tell me, again, how it felt, Ojiro.” Masters here don’t have the same stigma as they do in Bet. Individuals like Heartbreaker, and monsters like the Simurgh, do not exist. However, there are a few villains around and about that granted the Quirk some negative connotations. Being able to manipulate others against their will is inherently seen as villainous. Naturally, while most of my other classmates simply expressed concern over Ojiro’s circumstances, I needed to investigate. My time could be better spent resting, considering my upcoming bout with Aoyama. “How exactly did you feel before and after the Cavalry battle?”

“It… it was strange. Like, I was looking for teammates one second, and the next the battle was already finished.” Thankfully, the Quirk in question wasn’t very subtle. Though it was worrying in its length, strength, and ability to be utilized during battle, it wasn’t all-powerful if it could be remembered, felt, and broken. Of course, the possibility that the Master in question could hold it for long periods of time, and simply dispelled the effect. Now, that would be exceptionally worrying. In fact, if such a person existed, then I’d have to replace All-Might from the top of my list as the most powerful Quirk I’d encountered. The ability to brainwash opponents during battle, and utilize them against their allies or to achieve objectives, unless you didn’t want them anymore… was terrifying. “Shinso… that guy was in front of me one second… and the next moment the cavalry battle was over, Kaichou.”

“I-it was the same for me, K-kaichou.” Technically, the way Shoda spoke to me was incorrect. He was from Class 1-B and had his own Class President. However, given the fact I was acting on perceived authority, and I was dealing with two frustrated young men, I didn’t correct him. I needed every ounce of authority that I could muster. They needed to acknowledge me as their superior, so that I could gather information on the threat. They benefited from the situation, of course. I intended to solve their problem. And, I would. Having them perceive me as a superior, by acting the correct way, was beneficial to all three of us. “That kid from general education just walked up to me… then I found myself with a winning team at the of the tournament! A-after I beat my own friends without noticing!” 

A part of me couldn’t help but think that the situation was tremendously irresponsible. However, as I said before, Quirks tend to either never be utilized or be low in terms of classification. Ratings tend to be between 1-3 for most of the population, though those who marry in the interest of producing interesting mixes to their Quirks, through thinly-disguised eugenics programs, is making that different. The power I was confronting now can easily be the first of its kind. And, of course, all Quirks are registered, especially if they’re to be used in one’s occupation. Those who use their Quirks without being registered are vigilantes, who are considered minor criminal, or simply villains.

My first instinct when confronted with a Master willing to utilize children for their own odds and ends is simple: elimination. Swift, decisive, and long-ranged elimination. Given my control over animals and insects, many of which have predatory instincts that I can stimulate, arranging an accident and nipping the problem in the bud is my first plan. Second, of course, is recruitment. However, given Class 1-A’s infamy in UA, due to blatant favoritism and our fame for surviving a villain attack, is easier said than done. Overall, my third option was the wait-and-see approach, evaluate Shinso for myself, and decide what to do then.

A heroic Master would be a sight to see. Being able to simply manipulate villains, presumably by doing something while being in arm’s reach and facing them directly, is an exceptional ability. The Hero community will benefit immensely from the having Shinso join its ranks. However, many individuals who attend UA do so with the intension of becoming a Pro Hero, and that line is hopelessly muddled. There remains the possibility that this Master simply wants confirmation from the government that his powers are available for commercial use. While no Rogue Masters come to my mind at the moment, I can only imagine how much money and power a willing Master can amass, especially with a sound mind unhindered by an Agent.

Again, I’m pretty sure that the reason there’s so few recorded Strangers and Masters around the world is that they’re all keeping their heads down… or already in control. 

It would explain how society is still stable, despite more than 90% of the population having accses to superpowers, after all.

However, that was neither here nor there, at the moment.

I needed to do a quick investigation… after my match, of course.

There was no point in me watching the rest of the matches.

Those were already set in stone.

…

I wasn’t much for crowds, even if they were filled with recruiters and ambassadors from various hero companies. Playing a part, acting in a role, and being someone else only suited me if I’d planned to do so myself. Having to work to somebody else’s tune tended to end badly for me, whenever I tried it, so I liked to think my little hatred over the audience was mildly understandable. 

Though Present Mic, the announcer for the tournament, and one my teachers was rapidly making me hate it for other reasons.

“Ah! Here we go! The dark-haired, Kaiju Kaichou of UA academy is here! Everyone get ready to hold onto your seats, because Class 1-A’s Class Prez is a scary one!” Kaijou Kaichou was certainly a name that I didn’t like, especially after spending all my time drawing, coordinating, and researching my current name. Yellow Jacket was the perfect mix of child-friendly, intimidating, and protective. Unlike Yaoyorozu, I had no reason to show large amounts of skin, so I was more than capable of getting a reinforced wardrobe, my specialized cages, and a bevy of gadgets to utilize. However, I now found my character being assassinated by my teacher, while I couldn’t do anything to refute him. “My goodness! Look at that glare! I feel like she’s going to eat me alive! Eraserhead, what the heck are you teaching this kid!?”

“Nothing. She’s always been like that.” At least, I could rely on Aizawa-sensei. Between his no-nonsense temperament, extensive professional career, and perpetual drowsiness, I was sure that he could curtail some of my other teacher’s panic-inducing words. “Koda-san can probably take over Japan if she decided to become a villain. Or, maybe the world.” Or, not, I guess. “I sleep better at night knowing that she wants to be a hero. Though, sometimes, I still get nightmares that she’s just biding her time before stabbing us in the back.” 

I turned to Aoyama and did my best to ignore how the whole stadium was seemingly muttering to themselves. Well, I thought I’d escape bullying in my second life, but it seems that my old nemesis has merely just taken its time training and showing up at the worst possible opportunity. There was, of course, the possibility that both my teachers knew about how most people reacted to me, my tactics, and abilities, and they were making me more appealing to the hardliner heroes. That would be pleasant. Then again, considering how the two of them were teachers and not professional marketers, I had every reason to think that they were just saying what they were thinking without considering the ramifications.

An official complaint is in order in the future.

Maybe even a one-on-one counseling session between myself and one of them at a time.

“Oh, wow, Aizawa! I can totally see it! That glare’s definitely making my spine shake in my body! She really does give off the vibe of some sort of super demon lord, now!”

“…”

“Oi! Aizawa! Where are you going!? What!? No! It’s the middle of the school year! You can’t fly off to South America and become a hermit!”

Thankfully, Miss Midnight decided to put an end to the situation.

“Alright, that’s enough of that! Let’s get this show on the road! The contenders for this match are Koda Tera and Aoyama Yuga!” Though your outfit is lacking in any form of protection whatsoever, and no amount of generated sleeping gas will save you from bullets, I truly look up to you, Midnight-sensei. “Incapacitate your opponent, or throw them out of the ring for the win! Show yourselves off, my darling students! Now! Fight!” 

Aoyama is a Blaster and Mover. The concussive force of his blasts can easily destroy fighting machines designed to test an individual’s strength and Quirk. That same blast can be utilized to propel him a hundred meters in a few short seconds. Though he had to take care to use it in short bursts in that particular manner. Overuse of his Quirk results in terrible stomach cramps, akin to overexertion during core exercises, but he can mitigate the after effects by conserving his strength.  Overall, on paper, it would be difficult for me to fight him.

On paper.

“Ah, Kaichou, let us duel against one another fantastically—

Crossing the distance between the two of us with long, bounding strides, I struck him right in the abdomen with my knee.

As a rule, removing the enemy’s ability to utilize their quirk is my first objective. Heroes, villains, and vigilantes are all the same without their abilities at their disposal. Denying the enemy their advantages, while securing one’s own, is an integral facet of battle. One that I would attest is the primary purpose of combat between those with Agents or Quirks, in fact. In the end, if one hoards their advantages, destroys the enemy’s, and utilizes the proper strategy to exploit both the former and the latter, victory is assured. 

Aoyama, being just an ordinary human with a Quirk, ought to have shored up his weaknesses to allow his advantages to shine. However, instead of properly training his body and anticipating attacks, he retained his light, slim stature. While his Mover rating would undoubtedly take a hit if he gained more density, it was better for him to be tougher and heavier, instead of being light and squishy. 

Especially when he’s wrapped around my knee like ragdoll. 

Now, if this were an actual fight, I would follow through on my assault. 

My father’s Quirk passed on a measure of his Brute abilities to me. Just a small measure, but enough to warrant some close-combat training. Finishing this fight would simply mean shifting my weight downward, instead of cutting my attack short. Upon pinning my opponent down, I’d strike him in face for a swift discombobulation, while reaching for the Taser on the left of my belt, the pepper spray on the compartment over, or my baton on the pouch against the small of my back. Unfortunately, acquiring a pistol wasn’t possible for me, as I was underage, but I was going to the range enough times to count that as a future asset, if needed. If needed, and out of the public eye, a quick execution could be justified. Or, if my opponent was a Brute, I’d probably need the bullets to even harm them… or truly strike to kill with my elbows and fists. 

However, this wasn’t an actual fight, just an exhibition.

So, I let Aoyama fly through the air, instead of rendering him unconscious.

“And, the Kaiju Kaichou doesn’t waste time! She hits Aoyama right in the gut! My God! Imagine if she went for the family jewels! Those’d be broken after an opening move like that!” Ignoring Present Mic’s voice, I took stock of Aoyama while making sure the distance between the two of us was something I could make disappear in an instant. “Look at her! She’s like a cat toying with her prey! Jeebus! I feel like I’m about to witness a massacre!”

Ignoring Present Mic’s voice…

“No. Koda-san is giving Aoyama a chance. This battle is hers, but she’s giving her fellow student a chance to prove himself.” Aizawa-sensei, thankfully, had a cooler, more insightful head between his shoulders. I could only hope his completely irrational fear of me didn’t show itself again. “You saw it yourself. At that first strike, she could’ve ended the fight. But, here we still are.” Thank goodness—“She’s probably on making him a loyal slave to her. Someone who’ll follow her to his death, no matter the cost, by granting him his pride.”

Nevermind, my only responsible teacher was Midnight—

“Dearie, that was grand, but you’re supposed to follow through after that! Get over there and give him a few steps to the face! Men love that!” I stood corrected, ashamed, and without any hope for humanity whatsoever. Someway, somehow, I missed the shithole that is Earth Bet, at the moment. “Go on! Go on! Get over there on step on him a little! A few admirers here and there are a must for every superheroine—

I took a very loud, very decisive step on the stadium.

The tile beneath my foot cracked a bit too loud.

Silence reigned in the stadium for a bit.

Aoyama was now standing, hands on his knees, and meeting my gaze without blinking. 

I’ve decided.

I was tired of this current situation.

“Aoyama-kun. I’m sure that you’re pretty tired after everything, right?” Calling upon all my memories of Lisa, Jack, and Bonesaw, I gave my classmate a toothless smile that reached all the way up to my eyes. I had many things to say about the current situation. Many of them concerning how I was being unfairly being treated like a “super demon lord” by my own teachers. Suffice to say, I was barely keeping my temper in check, as I did not have the convenience of having a swam to offset my emotions into. “Say… why don’t you just go ahead and go to the break room and have some snacks, hmmm?”

“M-my f-fair Kaichou, the break room is outside of the ring—

“Oh? Is that a problem? Ao~ya~ma~san~?”

I ground the broken tile beneath my foot for emphasis. 

“No, ma’am! Thank you, ma’am! Yes, ma’am!”

The stadium was quiet for a little, as I supposed everyone stared at Aoyama’s retreating figure.

While they did, I awaited being declared the victor.

This day couldn’t end soon enough.